Improvement in seal-locks



N. W. PALMER. SeaLLOGkS.

No. 216,445. Patented :une 10,1879.

v .ATTORNEY MPETER PHUTO-LITHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

dit.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoEc NORMAN W. PALMER, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNO'R OF ONE-HALF` HIS RIGHT TO EUGENE P. PALMER, OF CHICAGO, ILL.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-LOCKS.

bpeciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,445, dated June 10, 1879; application filed April 9, 1879.

To `all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN W. PALMER,

of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful `Improvements in Padlocks; and I do hereby declare the bllowing to be a full,

. clear, and exact description ot' the invention,

in seallocks; and consists, iirst, in the combination, with a notched shackle-leg', of pivotal tumblers, which operate in transverse recesses formed in the interior casing of a padlock,

and are spring-pressed to engage with the notches ot' said shackle-leg; second, in the combination, with a notched shackle-leg, of

transverse pivotal tumblers, the upper engag- 1n g surfaces of said tumblers andv shackle-leg 1 notches being respectively formed with counterpart inclines; third, in the combination, with a shackle-leg having a lateral lug which projects within a recess made in the interior casing of a padlock, of a spring secured within said recess, and engaging with said lug` to throw the shackle out when the tumblers release the shackle-leg; fourth, in the combination, with an interior casing of a padlock formed in transverse sections, of pivotal tumblers fitting between the latter, each of said sections being recessed to permit of the operation of its respective tumbler; fifth, in the combination, with an interior casing of a padlock, of pivotal tumblers which work transversely therein, and springs which t in slots formed respectively in the tumblers, said slots also being adapted to provide engagement for the key as the latter operates the lock; sixth, in the combinationLwith a seal-holder which has tilting movement within an opening` formed in the outer casing of a seal-lock, of a shackle y adapted when the lock is closed to have its foot bear against said seal-holder and prevent the latter from being opened; seventh, in the combination, with a tubular outer casing of a seal-lock having a seal-holder pivoted within its lower end, of a shackle whose foot is adapted to bear against the seal-holder and suitable tumblers, said parts being constructed to operate, whereby, when the lock is closed, the shackle-foot prevents the sealholder from being tilted in open position.

Reterring to the drawings, wherein is shown my preferable form ot' constructing the invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the lock as closed. Fig. 2 is a similar ,viewof the lock opened and the sealfholder swung into open position. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the seal-holder. Fig. 4 is adetail view of one of the tumblers. Fig. 5 represents the key.

The outer lockcasing, A, is made in the form of a tube, within which are located the inner casiu g, B, the tumblers C, and the shackle-leg I). Within the open lower end of the lockcasing is pivoted the seal-holder E, one tilting side of the latter being prevented from opening inwardly by means of the stop a, which projects laterally from the interior otl the outer casing 5 the opposite tilting side of said sealholder being adapted to be swung inwardly when the lock is opened, and to be prevented p* against said movement when the lock is closed by reason of the bearing of the shackleffoot against said tilting side.

In substitution for this particular form of carrying out the principle of this part of the invention, I may dispense with the lateral stop secured to the outer lock-casing, and'form a right-angular extension on the shackle-foot, said right-angular extension being adapted to have bearing against the seal-holder on both sides of its pivotal line, so as to prevent either of its tilt-ing sides from being swung inwardly while the lock is closed.

The seal -holder may be made, as herein shown, with a slot or hole, b, formed in its edge, whereby the seal may be readily placed in position. or removed therefrom; or, instead ot' thus heilig in solid piece, it may be in two pa 'allel parts adapted to be separatedfrom eal other when the seal-holder is swung in open position.

The recess or seat for the seal may be ot any suitable form to correspond with the seal, and the latter may be paper, lead, glass, sealing-wax, or other desired substance.

The operation of the seal-lock is readily understood, and consists, simply, in swinging open the seal-holder, closing the latter when the seal is inserted therein, and then closing -the lock. The seal-holder is thus secured against all attempts to open it, and any tamperin g with the lock or seal would be rendered apparent.

Turning now to that part of the invention which relates, broadly, to any kind of a padlock, whether the latter be a seal-lock or not, it will be observed that the interior locking- .casing, B, is made of a seriestof transverse sections, c, suitably fastened together. Each section is recessed to permit ofthe movement within said recess of the tumbler which is pivoted thereto. Each tumbler is formed with a recess, d, within which the spring c is itted, one end of the latter having bearing against a stud, f. A portion of each of said slots constitutes the hole in which the key fits, and in engagement with the -wall of which the tumbler is turned upon its pivot, so as to release it from the shackle-leg.

The several tumblers C and the notches in the shackle-leg, respectively, have their upper engaging surfaces formed in counterpart incline, as shown at y, so that as the shackleleg is forced down against said tumblers in closing the lock, the incline on the notches of the leg may have bearing against the inclines on the tumblers, and press the latter against their springs, so as to turn on their pivots, thereby permit-tin g the passage of the shackleleg. A lateral stud, h, is formed on the upper portion ofthe shackle-leg, and projects within a recess, l, which is made in the interior lockthe spring-loop, so that said spring and stud are secured against liability to become disengaged.

lt is apparent that the tumblers may be in any desired number, more or less than represented in the drawings; also, that the key F and the shackle-leg may be correspondingly changed.

To operate these tumblers, it is only necessary to insert the key, so as to be passed up through the several slotted key-holes of the tumblers. The lat-ter are thereby forced in pivotal movement against their springs, so as to leave the shackle-leg free from engagement therewith, when the shackle is shot outward by means of the compressed spring, with which it is engaged, and the lock is open.

It will be observed that the construction of the tumblers is such as to require perfect accuracy in the fitting of the key which unlocks them, inasmuch as too slight a movement of any one tumbler upon its pivot would not disengage the same from its notch in the shackleleg, and too great a movement would only engage the opposite side ofthe gating of said tumbler with the notch. Hence the lock is rendered very difcult to be picked.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is j 1. Th e combination, with the notched shackleleg, of the pivotal tumblcrs, which operate in transverse recesses formed in the interior lockcasing, and are spring-pressed to engage with the notches of said shackle-leg, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the notched shackle leg, of the pivotal transverse tumblers, the upper engaging surfaces of said tumblers and shackle-leg notches being respectively formed with counterpart inclines, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the shackle-leg havin g a lateral lug which projects within a recess made in the upper portion of the interior lockcasing, of the spring, which is secured Within said recess, and engages with said lug to force the shackle out when the tumblers release the shackle-leg, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the interior lockcasing formed in transverse sections, of the pivotal tumblers tittin g between the latter, each of said sections being recessed to permit the operation of its respective tumbler, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the interior lockcasin g, of the tumblers which work transversely therein, and the springs which fit in slots formed respectively in the tumblers, said slot-s also being adapted to provide engagement for the key as the latter operates the lock, substantially as set forth. v

6. The combination, with the seal-holder, which has tilting movement within the opening formed in the outer lock-casing, of the shackle, adapted, when the lock is closed, to have its foot bear against said seal-holder and prevent the latter from being opened, substantially as set forth.

7 The combination, with the tubular outer casing, having the seal-holder pivoted within its lower end, of the shackle and the tumblers, said parts being adapted, when the lock is closed, to prevent the seal-holder from being opened, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of April, 1879.

NORMAN W. PALMER.

Witnesses:

HULBERT PnoK, THOMAS MACGUIRE. 

